Two MSU students are working to bring notable landmarks from around the world into the classroom with virtual reality technology.
Tommy Truong and Eric Martin have developed 360-degree immersive environments of sites like the Colosseum in Rome and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to be used in tandem with traditional teaching methods.
Truong believes immersive VR experiences can be a valuable and inexpensive way for educators to engage their students.
"It utilizes what 86% of undergraduates in the United States already have in their hands and their pockets, a smartphone," Truong said.
Truong says the primary goal of the project is to make immersive education accessible to all students, even if it's virtual.
"Due to financial constraints, not every student can actually go to the Parthenon or the Great Wall of China. However, if we're able to recreate those on a smaller scale and implement them into existing curricula in higher education or K-12, then we can immerse students and further their education," Truong said.
Truong and Martin have presented their research at five education and design conferences in Michigan and Washington, D.C.
